Marlene spends every Sunday in a salon having her hair straightened in order to look presentable according to her Dominican mother's standards. Keeping her hair smooth requires her to avoid running around, sweating, and playing outside with the other kids. This makes Marlene miserable. The situation reaches a fever pitch at an older cousin's quinceañera where Marlene is taunted and berated for her wild behavior and unruly hair. At the core of this is mother-daughter drama, but also harmful standards of beauty, unrealistic expectations for grooming, anti-blackness and internalized racism passed down through generations. Marlene has a network of support including her best friend Camilla and Tía Ruby who help her question what "good hair" is and challenge what is considered "pretty."
This award-winning middle grade graphic novel explores a sensitive topic in a way that welcomes conversation and encourages self-acceptance and advocating for oneself. As a frizzy girl, myself, I was rooting for Marlene and shouting "curl power" throughout. I recommend that older readers pair Frizzy with Elizabeth Acevedo's Inheritance for additional thought and deliberation.
Frizzy was awarded the Pura Belpré Children's Author Award on January 30, 2023. The Pura Belpré Award honors Latinx writers and illustrators whose children's and young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.